1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention is particularly related to the following. All water companies, large and small, have miles of water lines buried in the streets and right of ways in order to serve their customers. Included in these miles of pipelines there are hundreds, if not thousands, of valves, typically, gate valves to control the flow of water, in their systems. The valves are typically installed in pipelines that are buried from three to ten feet under the surface approximately. The herein invention is concerned primarily with a method of gaining access to these valves with tools, all as described more in detail hereinafter.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As set forth in the foregoing relating to the field of the invention, it is concerned with valves that are buried underground in water lines. Typically, these valves are gate valves, although there can be valves of other types. Typically, when these valves are installed, they are installed with a cylindrical enclosure called a gate can, the lower end of which is the same size as the valve bonnet and the other end of which extends to the surface and which is provided with a closure at the surface. By removing the closure or lid on the enclosure or gate can and using a special T-handled socket wrench or tool, a maintenance man can normally quickly gain access to the end of the valve stem of the buried valve and operate it to turn it on and off. This can be done provided that the enclosure, that is, the gate can, is not filled with silt, sand, road-base material, solidified material, or other debris which prevents access to the operating end of the valve stem.
As well-known in the prior art, when a water line becomes broken, very serious damage can result from water gushing out of the break and flooding adjacent residences or other buildings, doing substantial damage to properties, such as rugs and other appurtenances. What happens frequently is that emergency crews have difficulty finding the valves and even greater difficulty obtaining access to the operating stems of the valves because the enclosures or gate cans become filled up, as described in the foregoing. Typically, great difficulty is experienced in digging out or extracting debris from the enclosure or gate can which, of course, delays the time before the emergency can be corrected, and the valve or valves are shut off to stop water coming out of the break.
The problem outlined in the foregoing has been met to a considerable degree by way of the tool disclosed in the herein inventor's U.S. Pat. No. 4,601,077.
It has been found, however, that a further method and additional accessory tool are needed in certain circumstances. The maintenance crews may encounter material within the gate can which is solidified, that is, it has become so solid that it cannot be extricated with the tool of the issued patent. In these circumstances, what frequently happens is that the maintenance crews call for a helper to bring a sledgehammer, and the helper pounds on the handle of the tool with the sledgehammer, trying to cause it to extricate this material that is solid. This deforms the handle of the tool and could, of course, destroy the tool itself after excessive pounding.
Thus, it has been found that a method embracing an additional tool is needed, and a preferred form of such a method and tool adapted to the identified purpose is described in detail hereinafter. The detailed disclosure hereinafter describes a method of meeting the problem as identified in the foregoing, including that problem, where the material in the gate can has been solidified, the method involving steps including the utilization of the tool as described hereinafter, as well as the tool of the issued U.S. Pat. No. 4,601,077.